Many different types of children's furniture are available in the market. Disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 4,682,827 to Woodward is a combination toy box and drafting table. The combination box and table has a box portion defining a storage space and includes a pair of parallel wooden bars attached at both ends to the sides of the box portion so as to be spaced diagonally from each other, and such that a planar cover of the box portion may be supported at an angle so as to be suitable for use a s drafting surface.
A disadvantage of the above-described toy box and table to Woodward is that the means for supporting the cover comprises a pair of bars that serve to limit the usable space within the box portion.
Manufactured by LITTLE TIKES, of Hudson, Ohio 44236, U.S.A., are various items of children's furniture, including a desk, which bears a similarity to conventional student desks, wherein a boxlike storage space is covered with a generally planar cover, attached at one edge to a portion of the desk, generally by means of a hinge.
Marketed by SASSY (trademark), of 1534 College S.E., Grand Rapids, Mich. 49507, U.S.A., is a non-watertight wooden desk that has a removable cover having a bar that permits its to be placed within a space defined by the desk so as to be used as an easel. Placement of the cover for use as an easel is most effectively achieved from the rear of the desk, rendering it rather a cumbersome operation.
Furthermore, the contact surfaces of the table portions and the bolt heads are smooth, and the bolt heads define a groove so as to facilitate turning of the bolts. A disadvantage of these connections is, therefore, that the bolts are relatively easy to undo, even by a child, with a normal screwdriver or a coin or other suitable implement.
Manufactured by L.M. LIPSKI Ltd., P.O.B. 2111, Herzlia, 46120, Israel, is a plastic children's chair having side supports attached to seat and back rest portions with plastic bolts. A characteristic of this chair, similar to a characteristic if the desk made by Sassy, is that the contact surfaces of the chair portions and the bolt heads are smooth, and the bolt heads define a groove so as to facilitate turning of the bolts. A disadvantage of these connections is, therefore, that the bolts are relatively easy to undo, even by a child, with a normal screwdriver or a coin or other suitable implement.
Available from Wader GmbH, West Germany, is a self-assembly plastic chair. The various portions of the chair are assembled by means of screws arranged to be screwed directly into the plastic of the chair. A disadvantage of this form of connection is that the screw threads may be worn away through repeated use of the chair, thereby causing the chair to become unstable.